The present invention relates to portable devices and more specifically to deterring theft of portable computers.
As portable computers such as laptop and notebook computers have become more popular and more powerful, they have become increasingly attractive targets for theft, including in the workplace of the computer""s user. Portable computers, such as the ThinkPad laptop from IBM Corporation, are designed to be easily portable and it is this characteristic which also makes them easy to steal (ThinkPad and IBM are trademarks of IBM Corporation). The main factors which make them so easy to steal is that they are relatively small and can be easily concealed in a briefcase, bag or simply carried under the arm. This results in office theft of a portable computer being much simpler than the theft of larger equipment such as personal computers.
As such thefts have become more common and more costly, an assortment of devices and systems have been proposed for securing portable computers from theft. Solutions such as password protection on BIOS, hard drive and operating system have been implemented. In a related field, items such as car radios have a security code which must be entered whenever power has been removed from the unit. This may be either because the unit has been removed from the car or because the car""s battery has been removed from the car.
However, these do not provide a visual deterrent against the stealing of a portable computer. A solution which does provide a visual deterrent is to fix machines to desks but this solution detracts from the advantages of having a portable computer. Another solution which does provide a visual deterrent is the use of a keylock which has to be operated before the machine will function. Typically such a keylock temporarily disables the keyboard and/or display screen, thus preventing use of the computer. Such a solution has been in use for many years, in, for example, the 3270 range of display terminals from IBM Corporation and the PC/AT personal computer from IBM Corporation (IBM and PC/AT are trademarks of IBM Corporation). However, such a system is relatively easy to bypass so as to enable operation of the computer without the key associated with the keylock.
There is thus a need for a device as a visual deterrent against the theft of a portable computer which is not easily bypassed.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for automatic deactivating a portable device having an openable cover, the cover being open in normal operation, the method comprising the steps of: detecting whether the cover is in an open position; detecting whether a key operated switch is in a normal operating position or a locked position; and responsive to a determination that the cover is in an open position and that the key operated switch is in a locked position, deactivating the portable device.
The invention also provides apparatus for automatic deactivation of a portable device comprising: an openable cover, the cover being open in normal operation; means for detecting whether the cover is in an open position; a key operated switch having a normal operating position and a locked position, the cover being locked closed in said locked position; and means for deactivating the portable device, the means for deactivating being responsive to a determination that the cover is in an open position and that the key operated switch is in a locked position.
Preferably, the key operated switch operates by an interchange of electronic codes between a key and the key operated switch.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a fusible element which acts to deactivate the portable device in response to the means for deactivating the portable device.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a non-volatile memory means essential for normal operation of the portable device and means to damage the non-volatile memory means in response to the means for deactivating the portable device.